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One word could kill them all.
That’s what I was warned about after the first accident when I killed my family's allies. My powers manifested too young.
Powers I never asked for.
I can connect with the realm of the dead. My medium?
My voice.
And so I don’t talk. Ever. Not to anyone—except my sister, of course. She’s the only reason I’m not utterly insane after a lifetime spent hiding.
In the darkness.
In silence.
Under a shroud of loneliness with only the dead for company.
Until I meet them.
Jasper.
Kornelius.
Zyran.
Three sinfully gorgeous vampires without a House who I don’t trust.
Because my words didn’t kill them when they came for me.
My time spent hiding is over, because now all of the Houses know about me.
And I can choose to run… or I can scream.
Taste Me is a spicy standalone romance with obsessively protective mates. These psychotic vampires will guide Kalli on a road of self-acceptance and forgiveness, but not before breaking down her emotional walls. There will be biting. There will be darkness. And there will be blood. Reader discretion is advised.
That’s what I was warned about after the first accident when I killed my family's allies. My powers manifested too young.
Powers I never asked for.
I can connect with the realm of the dead. My medium?
My voice.
And so I don’t talk. Ever. Not to anyone—except my sister, of course. She’s the only reason I’m not utterly insane after a lifetime spent hiding.
In the darkness.
In silence.
Under a shroud of loneliness with only the dead for company.
Until I meet them.
Jasper.
Kornelius.
Zyran.
Three sinfully gorgeous vampires without a House who I don’t trust.
Because my words didn’t kill them when they came for me.
My time spent hiding is over, because now all of the Houses know about me.
And I can choose to run… or I can scream.
Taste Me is a spicy standalone romance with obsessively protective mates. These psychotic vampires will guide Kalli on a road of self-acceptance and forgiveness, but not before breaking down her emotional walls. There will be biting. There will be darkness. And there will be blood. Reader discretion is advised.
488 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2023
1199 people are currently reading
4039 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Thorn
75 books1,601 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author J.R. Thorn is a Reverse Harem Romance author. All her books are written in the same world except for co-write books, so be sure to check out the recommended reading order listed above or on the website! (She'll also admit to having an unhealthy obsession with magical tattoos and alpha males.)
Be sure to stop by J.R. Thorn's Website: www.AuthorJRThorn.com
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Be sure to stop by J.R. Thorn's Website: www.AuthorJRThorn.com
Get a free book when you join the Newsletter! https://www.subscribepage.com/AuthorJ...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
November 13, 2025
I'd say this one was only okay and honestly I skimmed pretty heavily in the second half just to get to the end. It wasn't bad overall but there was a lot of information and characters that got confusing for a book that was stated to be a standalone. On top of that I just never felt connected to these characters and some of the fated mate parts felt very rushed and forced. I'd be open to coming back to this series and reading from the start but for now I'm out.
November 5, 2023
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
While I'm not a huge fan of brother RH, I did like that the author mentioned what the story entailed in the front matter, which made me actually want to keep reading.
I loved the FMC's journey, and how she became exactly who she needed and wanted to be.
I also enjoyed the continuation of the Patriarch's story, which started in earlier books, and I loved the conclusion.
TWs: death, violence, blood play, biting, consensual sexual scenes, depression, self-harm
☆ I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts are my own honest opinions.☆
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
While I'm not a huge fan of brother RH, I did like that the author mentioned what the story entailed in the front matter, which made me actually want to keep reading.
I loved the FMC's journey, and how she became exactly who she needed and wanted to be.
I also enjoyed the continuation of the Patriarch's story, which started in earlier books, and I loved the conclusion.
TWs: death, violence, blood play, biting, consensual sexual scenes, depression, self-harm
☆ I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts are my own honest opinions.☆
October 27, 2023
4.5/5*
Original review
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you J.R. Thorn!
Original review
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you J.R. Thorn!
Taste Me
is the sixth standalone book in the second season of the
Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates,
and tells the story of Ishara, Jasper, Kornelius and Zyran.
Taste Me was another incredible read, and I didn’t expect anything else! The Immortal Vices and Virtues world is such an amazing Fantasy Romance book series with interesting characters and well-written stories. Taste Me is written by J.R. Thorn, a new-to-me author. I didn’t know what to expect, but I did have high hopes since I really enjoy the Immortal Vices and Virtues books. J.R. Thorn didn’t disappoint me at all, she wrote an amazing and spicy story with dark and interesting characters.
Taste Me tells the story of Ishara, Issy, a character that we have met in another Immortal Vices and Virtues book, Claim Me by Lexi C. Foss. Claim Me tells the story of Issy’s sister, Fallon. Issy is a death witch, and her mates are vampire hybrids. One interesting detail is that her mates are triplets… Sexy brothers with fangs? Yes, please! I really enjoyed reading about Issy, Jas, Kor and Zy. Her mates match her darkness and they’re so perfect together!
Taste Me was such a great read in the Immortal Vices and Virtues world!
If you enjoy the Fantasy Romance genre then I recommend the
Immortal Vices and Virtues
world. If you’re more into one mate, then the first season, Immortal Vices and Virtues, is for you. If you enjoy reading about multiple mates, then you should definitely check out the second season, Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates! I truly enjoyed every book in the series, and it’s a nice way to discover new authors!
July 3, 2025
This was billed as a standalone story but I was fighting for my LIFE trying to figure out the what was happening, the magic system, and putting together plot threads that were already deeply woven into these characters. What entertainment I could have had from this one was stripped by feeling confused and overwhelmed.
October 25, 2023
The first book I read by J.R. Thorn was a series that she teamed up with Lexi Foss to write and in my brain, the pair have been linked ever since. So it's only fitting for Thorn to write Taste Me, Ishara's book when Lexi wrote Claim Me, which is Ishara's sister (Fallon) story.
Thorn took Ishara's "Issy" character in a surprising direction. I thought that Issy was lighter, and more fragile than she really was. I loved that Issy is a nerd. She's highly intelligent, and loves learning, gardening, and reading smutty books which might be my favorite thing about her. Issy is more of a loner but after everything she's been through, it tracks. However, don't mistake her for weak, Issy is badass, she has some pretty powerful death magic and isn't afraid to use it. Issy has a surprising amount of darkness which is a good match for her mates.
Triplets. That's right Issy landed herself three smokin' hot vampire-hybrids. Who are just as dark and deadly as she is. It's a perfect match. Jasper was cool on his own but when his brothers came around his attitude went up and was slightly annoying. Zyran is the playboy, he surprised me the most while my heart went out to Kornelius who feels more and cares everything with him. They have a dark past, and their trauma sort of matches Issy, so they understand each other on another level. I'm the type of reader that loves instalove. The guys know Issy is their fated mate and that's it they're all in. They got to know her and loved her.
Apparently, things are still crap in the Outcast Coven and because of this I got a better look at death magic. I got a small look at it in Fallon's story but Issy's had so much more. The magic was dark but not evil, complex and wondrous. It was unique and I enjoyed getting more of it. Things are going on with the coven, dark plots and revenge is in the air. The plot entire plot was a surprise but welcomed.
Taste Me was a delectably dark read. I loved getting to know Issy and seeing her find her HEA. Of course, Fallon made an appearance, they're twins, and it was great seeing her. I believe Taste Me is the final book in IVaV Season 2, Her Monstrous Mates but there is another season coming and I can't wait.
Thorn took Ishara's "Issy" character in a surprising direction. I thought that Issy was lighter, and more fragile than she really was. I loved that Issy is a nerd. She's highly intelligent, and loves learning, gardening, and reading smutty books which might be my favorite thing about her. Issy is more of a loner but after everything she's been through, it tracks. However, don't mistake her for weak, Issy is badass, she has some pretty powerful death magic and isn't afraid to use it. Issy has a surprising amount of darkness which is a good match for her mates.
Triplets. That's right Issy landed herself three smokin' hot vampire-hybrids. Who are just as dark and deadly as she is. It's a perfect match. Jasper was cool on his own but when his brothers came around his attitude went up and was slightly annoying. Zyran is the playboy, he surprised me the most while my heart went out to Kornelius who feels more and cares everything with him. They have a dark past, and their trauma sort of matches Issy, so they understand each other on another level. I'm the type of reader that loves instalove. The guys know Issy is their fated mate and that's it they're all in. They got to know her and loved her.
Apparently, things are still crap in the Outcast Coven and because of this I got a better look at death magic. I got a small look at it in Fallon's story but Issy's had so much more. The magic was dark but not evil, complex and wondrous. It was unique and I enjoyed getting more of it. Things are going on with the coven, dark plots and revenge is in the air. The plot entire plot was a surprise but welcomed.
Taste Me was a delectably dark read. I loved getting to know Issy and seeing her find her HEA. Of course, Fallon made an appearance, they're twins, and it was great seeing her. I believe Taste Me is the final book in IVaV Season 2, Her Monstrous Mates but there is another season coming and I can't wait.
June 7, 2024
confusing
This book was so confusing despite reading the previous five books.
I feel like I can normally catch on quite quick to new books however with this one I felt like I had missed a whole previous book because things were not explained fully.
This book was so confusing despite reading the previous five books.
I feel like I can normally catch on quite quick to new books however with this one I felt like I had missed a whole previous book because things were not explained fully.
October 23, 2023
In Taste Me, we get the story of Issy, our strong FMC whose known years of loneliness and the screams of the dead, who can’t even use her own voice without hurting those around her. Her only solace has been her link to her sister, but even she has mates of her own now and Issy wants her sister to be happy. Luckily fate has something else in store for Issy, in the form of three gorgeous triplet vampires. Jasper, Kas and Zy all have a form of death magic too, making them the perfect candidates to be her mates. But with one hired to kill her and the other two soul bound to the person who hurt Issy most, will fate win out and allow them all to come together to fight for their happily ever after or will foes from the past sweep up and come between them?
I really enjoyed the twists and turns of Taste Me. It’s one of JR Thorns’s darker books and I’m definitely here for it. If you like your MMC dark, hot, and deliciously violent, then this book is for you.
I really enjoyed the twists and turns of Taste Me. It’s one of JR Thorns’s darker books and I’m definitely here for it. If you like your MMC dark, hot, and deliciously violent, then this book is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2023
Rating- 4 really good
Heat- 4
Tropes- fated mates, MFMM, insta love
Need to know- While not every book in this shared World Series needs to be read before this one, Lexi Foss’ Claim Me should be.
This is my favorite shared World Series due to how hard these authors have clearly worked to make it cohesive. These aren’t books tied together by a single common thread. This is a complex world that includes repeating characters. This is never more obvious than in this book. Taste Me picks up the story of Issy, the mute sister to Fallon in Claim Me, who is living in the territory of the dukes from Mark Me. We already felt like we knew Issy since she and Fallon can speak telepathically and we saw her struggles first hand. Now we get to watch her meet the 3 brothers that are her fated mates and destroy the old threat coming for her again.
Heat- 4
Tropes- fated mates, MFMM, insta love
Need to know- While not every book in this shared World Series needs to be read before this one, Lexi Foss’ Claim Me should be.
This is my favorite shared World Series due to how hard these authors have clearly worked to make it cohesive. These aren’t books tied together by a single common thread. This is a complex world that includes repeating characters. This is never more obvious than in this book. Taste Me picks up the story of Issy, the mute sister to Fallon in Claim Me, who is living in the territory of the dukes from Mark Me. We already felt like we knew Issy since she and Fallon can speak telepathically and we saw her struggles first hand. Now we get to watch her meet the 3 brothers that are her fated mates and destroy the old threat coming for her again.
October 28, 2023
We actually meet the FMC of this book, in the previous Her Monstrous Mates by Lexi C. Foss and I've been excited for Issy to meet her mates ever since. The fact she gets three sinfully hot hybrid triplets is just a bonus. I literally couldn't put it down once I started and loved every minute of it.
Issy is in hiding, she can't use her voice as it kills anyone who hears it but when an assassin stumbles on where she's hiding she gets more than she bargained for when he turns out to be her mate, and he just so happens to have two brothers.
I loved the fact that there was a mention of Issy reading smutty books and the mention of long TW's in the front of books. Even though Issy and Fallon alike think they are safe from one of the monsters from Fallon's book that isn't true and Issy's mates are entwined with the guy.
Loved the action, the spice and the overall story. Was a great read.
Issy is in hiding, she can't use her voice as it kills anyone who hears it but when an assassin stumbles on where she's hiding she gets more than she bargained for when he turns out to be her mate, and he just so happens to have two brothers.
I loved the fact that there was a mention of Issy reading smutty books and the mention of long TW's in the front of books. Even though Issy and Fallon alike think they are safe from one of the monsters from Fallon's book that isn't true and Issy's mates are entwined with the guy.
Loved the action, the spice and the overall story. Was a great read.
October 28, 2023
JR Thorn weaves a deadly tale involving vampire triplets and an FMC who matches their darkness perfectly.
Issy’s story is dark and intricate. As a death witch, Issy is forced to live in silence, least she kill with her voice.
Jasper, Zyran, and Kornelius are triplet vampires. They’re just as dark and deadly as Issy. Their traumas and pasts have made it easier to bond. Once Jas, Kor, and Zy realize Issy is their fated, all bets are off.
I enjoyed delving more into Issy’s character and of course seeing Fallon’s character again brought it all together. Not to mention the guys are *chef’s kiss.*
Overall, the story was great and a fantastic addition to the immortal Vices and Virtues series.
Issy’s story is dark and intricate. As a death witch, Issy is forced to live in silence, least she kill with her voice.
Jasper, Zyran, and Kornelius are triplet vampires. They’re just as dark and deadly as Issy. Their traumas and pasts have made it easier to bond. Once Jas, Kor, and Zy realize Issy is their fated, all bets are off.
I enjoyed delving more into Issy’s character and of course seeing Fallon’s character again brought it all together. Not to mention the guys are *chef’s kiss.*
Overall, the story was great and a fantastic addition to the immortal Vices and Virtues series.
October 24, 2023
OH MY GOODNESS!!! This book was so deliciously hot!! I really do love all the books that are set in the world! Why have one gorgeous vampire hybrid mate when you can have three! I was so happy to see Ishara get her HEA. She finally comes into her own with the help of her three mates. You will fall in love with all of them. The story is fantastic with lots of SPICE and just enough action. Do take care with the trigger warnings at the start of the book. If you don't have any triggers I hope you pick up the sinfully indulgent book!!
October 25, 2023
Another story in the Immortal Vices and Virtues world. It is a standalone but really needs to be read after Claim Me as a minimum. There is so much going on with the syndicates and outcast coven. Issy and her 3 fated mates all have death magic that is very complex. I’m still not sure how the patriarchs are still around. Overall, it was a well written story and an intriguing read.
May 14, 2025
3 - 3.5 stars!
I liked this. I didn’t love it. Mostly because I feel like it was missing a lot of relationship development. And I think there needed to be more of them together after that one “incident.”
Can’t win them all 🤷🏻♀️
I liked this. I didn’t love it. Mostly because I feel like it was missing a lot of relationship development. And I think there needed to be more of them together after that one “incident.”
Can’t win them all 🤷🏻♀️
October 28, 2023
J.R. Thorn is a fabulous writer! She knows how to bring the stories to life. Taste Me is just another great example of that. The pain and loneliness that Issy feels, she has written it that you feel that along with her. The love and protectiveness that she has for her sister, you feel that too. But when she finds her mates, man oh man, the love and chemistry is off the charts. Mystery surrounds her and her mates. Fate has a way for everything working out. The finality of the patriarchy comes to blows, and the only one that can stop it is Issy, her mates and her new friend.
I couldn’t put this book down. It had me riveted the entire way through.
I couldn’t put this book down. It had me riveted the entire way through.
October 25, 2023
After learning a bit about Izzy in Fallon's book I was eager for her story and it didn't disappoint! Thoroughly enjoyed the book, great storyline and in depth characters.izzy finally found her place in the world and I'm here for it!
June 3, 2024
This was a fun, fast-paced fantasy read. I loved the banter between the main characters. There was some nice spice amongst the storyline. All in all, I really enjoyed this one.
March 18, 2025
pretty good but not enough to keep me in, especially because the trigger warnings set certain expectations but didn't really deliver
October 23, 2023
I loved Issy's story! This was fantastically dark and thrilling! The twists and turns were wonderful! It's always nice to get an update on Fallon too! I really love this world of mystery and creativity!
November 11, 2023
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great drama and romance with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great drama and romance with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
October 29, 2023
Strong, Morally Grey Characters Conquer Dark & Deathly Pasts to Save Their Fated Love
I read this book via the Kindle Unlimited program
Taste Me is a solid 3.5 to 4-star book. When I started to read, I was not sure about it. J.R. Thorn is a new author to me, so I did not know what to expect. However, I found her writing engaging; I was hooked immediately and pulled along through the whole story. I also appreciate her looking out for readers and providing a detailed “Trigger Warning” page. Not all books are for all readers, so make sure to check the triggers before you start it. For myself, this was an entertaining, though sometimes uncomfortable, read; and overall, I enjoyed it. I will be looking into this author’s backlist.
So why did I remove stars? First, I cannot recommend this book to anyone and everyone. There are a lot of darker, and potentially triggering themes. While the author warns of them, that still limits the audience. Alone, that is not necessarily a reason to remove stars. However, the characters could have been further developed and their traumas addressed more realistically. Love and relationship help, but you do not overcome a lifetime of abuses in moments. I do acknowledge that a standalone format limits the time for realistic character growth, especially when there is enough story for a whole series, but this still bothered me a bit. Finally, there were some editing and pacing issues that I noticed. All these things came together to ultimately influence my star-rating.
Here’s my breakdown:
👄Length: Novel
🕶️Genre: Paranormal romance/dystopian fantasy – vampires, witches, necromancers etc.
🖐️POV: First person, multiple characters – male and female main characters
🩸Age: Adult
🧪Warnings: The author describes this as a “dark” story and included trigger warnings at the beginning of the book – additional warnings include language, violence, multiple traumas both mental and physical, and sexual content
👄Spice: This one is pretty spicy. Due to the types of play and situations on page, I’d say a minimum of 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️. The on page intimate moments include breath play, bondage, blood play, knife play, edging, and more. Also, this is a reverse harem – so there is sharing and bedroom togetherness.
🕶️Violence: Some descriptive moments. These characters have death magic, and there is a disturbing number of lives lost, but not necessarily described. Additionally, the main characters have traumatic, abusive pasts with remembered moments.
🖐️Editing: I did spot a few minor things (spelling/grammar), but not enough to distract or be irritating. There was one paragraph, in particular, that confused me, but I’m not sure if I missed something or if there was point-of-view or maybe timeline confusion.
🩸World: Post-supernatural-apocalypse Earth
🧪Series: Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates (interconnected, reverse harem, standalones in a shared universe) – there are a lot of character cameos from other books, which are fun easter eggs for readers of this series. Reading those books is not necessary to enjoy this one, but keep in mind in a shared universe, the more books you read, the more you understand the world. If you are not interested in reading the whole series, I would recommend reading previous books Crave Me and Claim Me as they best set the stage for Taste Me.
👄Tropes: Fated mates, unique powers, sibling bonds, embracing powers, lost memories, found family
🕶️Ending: This is a standalone, so there are no cliffhangers, but I am hoping we get the stories of some of the supporting characters
🖐️Re-read? Maybe
I read this book via the Kindle Unlimited program
Taste Me is a solid 3.5 to 4-star book. When I started to read, I was not sure about it. J.R. Thorn is a new author to me, so I did not know what to expect. However, I found her writing engaging; I was hooked immediately and pulled along through the whole story. I also appreciate her looking out for readers and providing a detailed “Trigger Warning” page. Not all books are for all readers, so make sure to check the triggers before you start it. For myself, this was an entertaining, though sometimes uncomfortable, read; and overall, I enjoyed it. I will be looking into this author’s backlist.
So why did I remove stars? First, I cannot recommend this book to anyone and everyone. There are a lot of darker, and potentially triggering themes. While the author warns of them, that still limits the audience. Alone, that is not necessarily a reason to remove stars. However, the characters could have been further developed and their traumas addressed more realistically. Love and relationship help, but you do not overcome a lifetime of abuses in moments. I do acknowledge that a standalone format limits the time for realistic character growth, especially when there is enough story for a whole series, but this still bothered me a bit. Finally, there were some editing and pacing issues that I noticed. All these things came together to ultimately influence my star-rating.
Here’s my breakdown:
👄Length: Novel
🕶️Genre: Paranormal romance/dystopian fantasy – vampires, witches, necromancers etc.
🖐️POV: First person, multiple characters – male and female main characters
🩸Age: Adult
🧪Warnings: The author describes this as a “dark” story and included trigger warnings at the beginning of the book – additional warnings include language, violence, multiple traumas both mental and physical, and sexual content
👄Spice: This one is pretty spicy. Due to the types of play and situations on page, I’d say a minimum of 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️. The on page intimate moments include breath play, bondage, blood play, knife play, edging, and more. Also, this is a reverse harem – so there is sharing and bedroom togetherness.
🕶️Violence: Some descriptive moments. These characters have death magic, and there is a disturbing number of lives lost, but not necessarily described. Additionally, the main characters have traumatic, abusive pasts with remembered moments.
🖐️Editing: I did spot a few minor things (spelling/grammar), but not enough to distract or be irritating. There was one paragraph, in particular, that confused me, but I’m not sure if I missed something or if there was point-of-view or maybe timeline confusion.
🩸World: Post-supernatural-apocalypse Earth
🧪Series: Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates (interconnected, reverse harem, standalones in a shared universe) – there are a lot of character cameos from other books, which are fun easter eggs for readers of this series. Reading those books is not necessary to enjoy this one, but keep in mind in a shared universe, the more books you read, the more you understand the world. If you are not interested in reading the whole series, I would recommend reading previous books Crave Me and Claim Me as they best set the stage for Taste Me.
👄Tropes: Fated mates, unique powers, sibling bonds, embracing powers, lost memories, found family
🕶️Ending: This is a standalone, so there are no cliffhangers, but I am hoping we get the stories of some of the supporting characters
🖐️Re-read? Maybe
May 22, 2025
DNF at 62%.
What the hell was this book?! It was just extremely cringy. I had no idea what was going on most of the time.
"I'm a young tortured all powerful female who saw and immediately became fated mates with 3 hot vampire brothers. I am extremely inexperienced but clearly have a think for kinks and blood and stuff." That's basically all it was and I just couldn't do it anymore.
What the hell was this book?! It was just extremely cringy. I had no idea what was going on most of the time.
"I'm a young tortured all powerful female who saw and immediately became fated mates with 3 hot vampire brothers. I am extremely inexperienced but clearly have a think for kinks and blood and stuff." That's basically all it was and I just couldn't do it anymore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2025
Advertised as a standalone, however there were so many characters and lands and magic and it was crazy to try and keep track of. Would have probably been easier to follow if I'd read and understood the world. The spice was fun but not worth all the complicated plots. Very average for me. won't read it again.
October 25, 2023
Ahhhh, this is bittersweet... the last installment for this series.
If you still need to read the previous books (mainly Crave Me and Claim Me by Lexi C. Foss), I strongly encourage you to do that first, as this book continues on what happened. It's not a must, of course, but I fear it might feel like you've missed parts of the story otherwise.
Also, this installment has several trigger warnings, so check those out! (if you get a sample, you can read all about that).
Worldbuilding:
As this is a world we all know and love by now, worldbuilding is a bare minimum. We know the players, with only a few new faces here and there. The scenes and environments were detailed enough to sit back, relax, and enjoy the story.
Character development:
We've all met Issy in a limited capacity in previous books, as she is Fallon's twin sister (read the books I told you about at the start of this review if you're new to the series). She can't talk, or well, she can, but even the slightest sound would kill you. Soooooooo she remains mute. That all changes when she finds her fated mate, a vampire, on her doorstep in the middle of Lapland. Without spoiling too much, Issy speaks, and Jasper (the vampire) doesn't die.
I won't say much about our dark vampire triplets, Jasper, Kornelius, and Zyran, as it's so easy to spoil. One thing I can tell, though, is that no matter what happened and who they were before they met Issy, it all changed the second they felt the fated mate connection. And while there are many trials ahead of them before they get their HEA, you can feel the change in each throughout the book.
The characters feel reasonably fleshed out, though I would have loved to know more about the brothers and their past.
Some characters are still waiting for their own adventure, so I'm hoping to see them all again soon(ish).
Pacing and flow:
The story really sweeps you off your feet from the get-go, and you pretty much have no hope until you've finished it :D There are a few instances where you jump back in time for a few minutes to relive that timeframe from another character in another location. Still, it all makes sense, I promise! There is a good balance between the action and conversation.
The book:
The book was well written and contains a few very spicy scenes (if that is important to you).
It has 359 pages, spread over 47 chapters, and is told from multiple points of view.
Final thoughts:
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book, and while I'm sad that the series has come to an end (for now, more to come, I hope), I enjoyed this last book. It was dark, had enjoyable characters, and overall, just what I needed :)
If you still need to read the previous books (mainly Crave Me and Claim Me by Lexi C. Foss), I strongly encourage you to do that first, as this book continues on what happened. It's not a must, of course, but I fear it might feel like you've missed parts of the story otherwise.
Also, this installment has several trigger warnings, so check those out! (if you get a sample, you can read all about that).
Worldbuilding:
As this is a world we all know and love by now, worldbuilding is a bare minimum. We know the players, with only a few new faces here and there. The scenes and environments were detailed enough to sit back, relax, and enjoy the story.
Character development:
We've all met Issy in a limited capacity in previous books, as she is Fallon's twin sister (read the books I told you about at the start of this review if you're new to the series). She can't talk, or well, she can, but even the slightest sound would kill you. Soooooooo she remains mute. That all changes when she finds her fated mate, a vampire, on her doorstep in the middle of Lapland. Without spoiling too much, Issy speaks, and Jasper (the vampire) doesn't die.
I won't say much about our dark vampire triplets, Jasper, Kornelius, and Zyran, as it's so easy to spoil. One thing I can tell, though, is that no matter what happened and who they were before they met Issy, it all changed the second they felt the fated mate connection. And while there are many trials ahead of them before they get their HEA, you can feel the change in each throughout the book.
The characters feel reasonably fleshed out, though I would have loved to know more about the brothers and their past.
Some characters are still waiting for their own adventure, so I'm hoping to see them all again soon(ish).
Pacing and flow:
The story really sweeps you off your feet from the get-go, and you pretty much have no hope until you've finished it :D There are a few instances where you jump back in time for a few minutes to relive that timeframe from another character in another location. Still, it all makes sense, I promise! There is a good balance between the action and conversation.
The book:
The book was well written and contains a few very spicy scenes (if that is important to you).
It has 359 pages, spread over 47 chapters, and is told from multiple points of view.
Final thoughts:
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book, and while I'm sad that the series has come to an end (for now, more to come, I hope), I enjoyed this last book. It was dark, had enjoyable characters, and overall, just what I needed :)
October 29, 2023
4.75 stars! Another great book in season two of Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates. After getting her sister, Fallon’s, story in a prior book, now we get Issy’s story, and it’s quite an interesting journey. Issy’s magical ability as a death with is tied to her voice, so once her gift manifested itself, but unfortunately only after disaster struck, Issy has lived her life in silence, only being able to speak mind to mind with her twin sister. She has also spent her life, along with all the other Outcast Coven witches, under the magical control of the patriarchs, until Fallon released them all with her magic. Unfortunately, in the world of death magic and necromancers, nothing is ever quite that simple.
Now that Issy is free of the patriarchs, she has been living in virtual solitude, until Jasper shows up at her door with an order to unalive her. But their first look changes everything, revealing their fated mate bond. It also reveals to Issy and Jasper is connected to those who tortured her and her sister for years, and she is immediately put on edge. Meanwhile, Jasper’s brothers, Kor and Zy, make their way to Issy’s cottage with things start to go sideways, and it is quickly revealed that they are Issy’s mates as well. But trust isn’t something that is easily won. Issy’s mates are torn between their own captor’s demands and protecting their mate. There’s also the tiny issue of Issy’s past rearing it’s ugly head threatening all of them.
This is a very interesting story, the manipulations and scheming of the patriarchs knowing no bounds, and definitely keeping everyone on their toes. The pacing was quite good, moving along quickly and continuing to build on this already fascinating and intriguing world. The relationships Issy has with Jasper, Kor, and Zy are also great. The spice does actually start quite quickly, but that doesn’t mean their road to HEA as fated mates is smooth by any stretch of the imagination. I would say, however, that I think this is easily one of the spiciest of the IVAV series, and I absolutely loved the way their story unfolded from all angles. And even though you can read these as standalone stories, having read all of them, and knowing some of the side characters only adds to the enjoyment, and you continue to get little sneaks and snippets on characters that we loved from prior books. All in all, a great continuation of the series.
Now that Issy is free of the patriarchs, she has been living in virtual solitude, until Jasper shows up at her door with an order to unalive her. But their first look changes everything, revealing their fated mate bond. It also reveals to Issy and Jasper is connected to those who tortured her and her sister for years, and she is immediately put on edge. Meanwhile, Jasper’s brothers, Kor and Zy, make their way to Issy’s cottage with things start to go sideways, and it is quickly revealed that they are Issy’s mates as well. But trust isn’t something that is easily won. Issy’s mates are torn between their own captor’s demands and protecting their mate. There’s also the tiny issue of Issy’s past rearing it’s ugly head threatening all of them.
This is a very interesting story, the manipulations and scheming of the patriarchs knowing no bounds, and definitely keeping everyone on their toes. The pacing was quite good, moving along quickly and continuing to build on this already fascinating and intriguing world. The relationships Issy has with Jasper, Kor, and Zy are also great. The spice does actually start quite quickly, but that doesn’t mean their road to HEA as fated mates is smooth by any stretch of the imagination. I would say, however, that I think this is easily one of the spiciest of the IVAV series, and I absolutely loved the way their story unfolded from all angles. And even though you can read these as standalone stories, having read all of them, and knowing some of the side characters only adds to the enjoyment, and you continue to get little sneaks and snippets on characters that we loved from prior books. All in all, a great continuation of the series.
May 28, 2024
🥀 “Nature and flowers are the essence of life, untouched by lost souls.”
—Issy 🥀
While I love lots of Thorn’s strong, powerful, sassy female leads, Issy may be a fave—her attitude, her plight, and so much more about her felt so relatable, which definitely made for a more personal reading experience. Perfect when getting lost into a dark read, IMO. Oh and she’s described as ‘curvy’.
The crossover with Claim Me was beyond fun—as an obsessed fan of all things Foss, getting a bit more of Fallon and Ayla only added to the fun and the continuity seemed on-point.
🖤 Written in first-person POV, with alternative perspectives.
🖤 This is a standalone read that fits nicely into its shared world and features:
🩸 D3@th magic, d3@th witch.
🪦 Fated m@tes.
🩸 Rejected m@tes.
🪦 Mysteries—in magic / supernatural nature.
🩸 Epic world-building and collaborating (with other authors/books in this world).
🪦 Vampires (actually “necromancy/vampire hybrids”).
🩸 Bl00d play, ců11ing.
🪦 Ch0king. B0ndage. Saf3 w0rd.
🩸 Betrayal, massive conflicts, politics.
🪦 RH … with brothers.
🩸 Protective måt3s.
🪦 Spells.
🩸 Vi0lence, gore (sooo well-described).
🪦 Vengeance...
… and so much more!
🥀 “Never again will I be so suppressed and hidden.” 🥀
‘Taste Me’ and ‘Claim Me’ sort-of work together to depict generations-long trauma cycles, the power a strong support system can instill, and strong female leads claiming back their power and breaking harmful cycles, leaving the world better than they found it. Absolutely brilliant—I could never properly express their greatness. So well done.
*I read from both the eBook and the paperback, both versions are absolutely stunning. Pure eye-candy if you like your books pretty like I do.
*🎧 Audio:
A flawless production with an all-star cast and beautiful narration. Excellent continuity too as if my memory is correct Fallon’s voice matched her own book (Claim Me by Lexi C. Foss). I cannot recommend this edition or its cast enough. 🦩
5 stars.
Note:
Sorry for the censorship, trying to keep it Audible-friendly. 🙄
—Issy 🥀
While I love lots of Thorn’s strong, powerful, sassy female leads, Issy may be a fave—her attitude, her plight, and so much more about her felt so relatable, which definitely made for a more personal reading experience. Perfect when getting lost into a dark read, IMO. Oh and she’s described as ‘curvy’.
The crossover with Claim Me was beyond fun—as an obsessed fan of all things Foss, getting a bit more of Fallon and Ayla only added to the fun and the continuity seemed on-point.
🖤 Written in first-person POV, with alternative perspectives.
🖤 This is a standalone read that fits nicely into its shared world and features:
🩸 D3@th magic, d3@th witch.
🪦 Fated m@tes.
🩸 Rejected m@tes.
🪦 Mysteries—in magic / supernatural nature.
🩸 Epic world-building and collaborating (with other authors/books in this world).
🪦 Vampires (actually “necromancy/vampire hybrids”).
🩸 Bl00d play, ců11ing.
🪦 Ch0king. B0ndage. Saf3 w0rd.
🩸 Betrayal, massive conflicts, politics.
🪦 RH … with brothers.
🩸 Protective måt3s.
🪦 Spells.
🩸 Vi0lence, gore (sooo well-described).
🪦 Vengeance...
… and so much more!
🥀 “Never again will I be so suppressed and hidden.” 🥀
‘Taste Me’ and ‘Claim Me’ sort-of work together to depict generations-long trauma cycles, the power a strong support system can instill, and strong female leads claiming back their power and breaking harmful cycles, leaving the world better than they found it. Absolutely brilliant—I could never properly express their greatness. So well done.
*I read from both the eBook and the paperback, both versions are absolutely stunning. Pure eye-candy if you like your books pretty like I do.
*🎧 Audio:
A flawless production with an all-star cast and beautiful narration. Excellent continuity too as if my memory is correct Fallon’s voice matched her own book (Claim Me by Lexi C. Foss). I cannot recommend this edition or its cast enough. 🦩
5 stars.
Note:
Sorry for the censorship, trying to keep it Audible-friendly. 🙄
October 26, 2023
This is book 5 in the Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates series. Although each of these books can be read as a stand alone, I recommend reading in order. There are several instances of characters that crossover within the main story and could spoil some of the books. This book specifically follows Ishara whose sister was featured in Claim Me. Their stories are interconnected and I suggest reading that book before this one.
As with all of the books in this series, be prepared for over the top, possessive men. In this case triplets who are vampires and they have similar magic to Issy. They all figure out their family life and how to navigate their deadly magic together. I love their family and their relationship was worth the darkness that they had to endure to get to their HEA. The brothers were so protective of Issy and I loved that for her. Issy has led such a lonely and dark life and to have that bit of happiness made me ecstatic for her. They all love fiercely and that is what these books are all about. A true love that anyone would sacrifice for. I give this one 5 stars
***As with each book in his series, Please check the content warnings as there are some dark themes in this story that could be upsetting to some
As with all of the books in this series, be prepared for over the top, possessive men. In this case triplets who are vampires and they have similar magic to Issy. They all figure out their family life and how to navigate their deadly magic together. I love their family and their relationship was worth the darkness that they had to endure to get to their HEA. The brothers were so protective of Issy and I loved that for her. Issy has led such a lonely and dark life and to have that bit of happiness made me ecstatic for her. They all love fiercely and that is what these books are all about. A true love that anyone would sacrifice for. I give this one 5 stars
***As with each book in his series, Please check the content warnings as there are some dark themes in this story that could be upsetting to some
June 11, 2024
A great addition to the multi author series the Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates. This book follows the story of main character Issy, sister of Fallon whose story is in Claim Me by Lexi Floss and finding her fated mates and freedom as well as vengeance. A paranormal world full of dark and pain but also hope and love. I so enjoyed the fantastic talents of our multi narrators who brought our characters to life. Swoon worthy vocals and a smooth flowing and exciting storyline that is sure to captivate and leave you pleased. I think the title should have been Hear Me - based on the talents, or curse as it may come across of main character Issy but regardless - a great read/listen. I also appreciate while triplets are her mates that they each have their own personalities and styles which I think the narration made all the more defined. Great job with the balance of dark despair and light hope as well as the sweet and heat. Can't wait to listen to more!
This book was given to me for free at my request and I voluntarily provided this review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I voluntarily provided this review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.
June 14, 2024
ok
I was not too impressed with this story line. I didn’t feel that this book had much of a story. It seem like almost every time you turned around in this book there was sex involved. I felt like I was reading a little mini porno. I don’t mind books that have reverse harem in it, but I thought this one was a little bit ridiculous. Another thing I did not like about this book was apparently the witch and her vampires are into bloodsport, and I do not appreciate that. For example, apparently the witch can’t get off unless she has some kind of cut and she’s bleeding somewhere or one of her mates is bleeding. blood sport during sex definitely turns me off! I also did not like the fact that as soon as the vampire came, that was going to assassinate the witch as soon as he saw her instead of wanting to kill her, he wanted to screw her brains out instead. Then she does and her other two mates show up. I thought that was a little bit ridiculous and very close to the beginning. I don’t think I’m going to be reading anything from this author anymore if this is the way it’s going to be especially with blood sport and other painful sexual activities.
I was not too impressed with this story line. I didn’t feel that this book had much of a story. It seem like almost every time you turned around in this book there was sex involved. I felt like I was reading a little mini porno. I don’t mind books that have reverse harem in it, but I thought this one was a little bit ridiculous. Another thing I did not like about this book was apparently the witch and her vampires are into bloodsport, and I do not appreciate that. For example, apparently the witch can’t get off unless she has some kind of cut and she’s bleeding somewhere or one of her mates is bleeding. blood sport during sex definitely turns me off! I also did not like the fact that as soon as the vampire came, that was going to assassinate the witch as soon as he saw her instead of wanting to kill her, he wanted to screw her brains out instead. Then she does and her other two mates show up. I thought that was a little bit ridiculous and very close to the beginning. I don’t think I’m going to be reading anything from this author anymore if this is the way it’s going to be especially with blood sport and other painful sexual activities.
October 8, 2025
🎧 Audiobook review 🎧⚡ Spoilers might lie ahead—I usually like to talk shit about everything that goes down in these books.
This book has one of my favorite opening scenes that perfectly sets the story and introduces the characters together. It was so fast-paced and flawless. The middle lulled a little, but it ended with a bang. The world-building, the characters, and their powers were so different from everything I’ve read — I loved the originality of it all and the mystique. Ishara is such a gorgeous name; I found it fascinating.
While this is book 5 in the series, and I believe there are some details that might confuse you a little, I found that I was fine reading it as a standalone (I haven’t read the other books). The audio production is flawless — the voices are so crisp, and I loved the fact that it’s multi-cast, with each main character having a narrator who does a fantastic job.
The spice is mild for my tastes, and I have to say the one thing that irked me is Issy’s constant “spirits” adlib when she was in heat. I also wanted more of Zyran; his character was so interesting, and maybe some solo time with Kore.
This book has one of my favorite opening scenes that perfectly sets the story and introduces the characters together. It was so fast-paced and flawless. The middle lulled a little, but it ended with a bang. The world-building, the characters, and their powers were so different from everything I’ve read — I loved the originality of it all and the mystique. Ishara is such a gorgeous name; I found it fascinating.
While this is book 5 in the series, and I believe there are some details that might confuse you a little, I found that I was fine reading it as a standalone (I haven’t read the other books). The audio production is flawless — the voices are so crisp, and I loved the fact that it’s multi-cast, with each main character having a narrator who does a fantastic job.
The spice is mild for my tastes, and I have to say the one thing that irked me is Issy’s constant “spirits” adlib when she was in heat. I also wanted more of Zyran; his character was so interesting, and maybe some solo time with Kore.
October 25, 2023
One word could kill them all.
Powers I never asked for… I can connect with the realm of the dead… My Voice.
Once again I happily trot into the Immortal Vices and Virtues Universe, we’re on our second season - Her Monstrous Mates.
As always - each can be read alone but best read in order to learn characters, build the world and find sneaky little Easter eggs!
I mean the dedication for this book:
“To those who like ‘em thick, this one is for you.
…. I’m talking about large books, pervert.
Just kidding, large dicks too!”
Genuinely in love with the author based on that alone.
OMG a I’ve just realised whose story this is! Yaaasss Ishara is awesome and also Fallon’s sister from Claim Me, where we kinda meet Ishara.
FREAKING TRIPLETS! Dead - I am DEAD! Do not mourn me - just know I died happy 🌶️🥵
“Maybe I’m damaged. Maybe I’m traumatised.
Or maybe I just don’t like people.” - I can attest the the latter.
“Devouring ink across the corpses of trees” - I love that!
That was brilliant! Really enjoyed the smut and spice but the storyline was gripping too!
5⭐️
Trigger warning for
Blood
Breath play
Knife play
Orgasm denial
Trauma
Depression
Powers I never asked for… I can connect with the realm of the dead… My Voice.
Once again I happily trot into the Immortal Vices and Virtues Universe, we’re on our second season - Her Monstrous Mates.
As always - each can be read alone but best read in order to learn characters, build the world and find sneaky little Easter eggs!
I mean the dedication for this book:
“To those who like ‘em thick, this one is for you.
…. I’m talking about large books, pervert.
Just kidding, large dicks too!”
Genuinely in love with the author based on that alone.
OMG a I’ve just realised whose story this is! Yaaasss Ishara is awesome and also Fallon’s sister from Claim Me, where we kinda meet Ishara.
FREAKING TRIPLETS! Dead - I am DEAD! Do not mourn me - just know I died happy 🌶️🥵
“Maybe I’m damaged. Maybe I’m traumatised.
Or maybe I just don’t like people.” - I can attest the the latter.
“Devouring ink across the corpses of trees” - I love that!
That was brilliant! Really enjoyed the smut and spice but the storyline was gripping too!
5⭐️
Trigger warning for
Blood
Breath play
Knife play
Orgasm denial
Trauma
Depression
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